Kakrom (1978-79)
Anefal, Sebastian L. (1979). Kakrom (1978-79). Kakrom (Report). Colonia, Yap: Yap District Department of Education Administration. pp. 1–72.
- Has attachment: File:L4IFB48D.pdf
Abstract: "Kakrom" (long time ago) was a bi-annually published collection of stories, interviews, myths and culutral tales, produced by students in Yap District, TTPI. It was the product of the students' efforts to extract information from the Yapese people in the various villages on the island. Three editions were published, one each for 1976-77, 1977-78, and 1978-79.
Yap State (p. 1) describes the social, political, and cultural conditions of the late 1970s, situating the main island within the Trust Territory context and outlining governance, development projects, and the persistence of traditional authority.
The World War II Dance (pp. 9–12) by Helen Laawth describes the women’s sitting dance Tangine Mal, created in Gagil on Yap to commemorate the suffering during the battles between American and Japanese forces, using imagery of whales and giants to capture the unprecedented sight of ships, planes, and modern weapons.
“Aw” is Useful to the Livelihood of Yapese (p. 12) by Erastus E. Yinug explains the centrality of the aw plant to daily life on Yap, detailing its cultivation, processing, and uses in food, shelter, and cultural practice.
Yap Inaugurates First Elected Governor (p. 17) recounts the installation of the island’s first elected governor, a milestone blending modern democracy with Yapese custom, marked by community celebrations that reflected civic progress alongside cultural continuity.
Juggling Song (p. 19) by Agnes Dugwen records a children’s juggling game and chant from Yap, illustrating how oral tradition transmits rhythm, coordination, and cooperation.
The Original Clans of Yap (p. 23) by Thomas Rikin outlines the genealogical origins and responsibilities of Yap’s earliest clans, showing how clan identity shapes leadership, status, and obligations, with embedded examples of proverbs, legends, and subsistence practices.
Gilfalan Makes a Canoe in a Week (p. 28) by Mario Wag profiles a master canoe craftsman in Worila‘, [[Maap]], on Yap, renowned for miniature canoe replicas, symbolizing the island’s enduring maritime tradition while also echoing broader Micronesian voyaging practices.
Dapal (p. 34) by Weliy Moroy and Yiloy L. Rimang explores the Yapese concept of work-exchange and ritual obligation, illustrated with examples including Outer Islands practices such as Lamotrek marriage customs, Ifaluk village life, and Ulithian/Woleaian ceremonies, showing both local cohesion and state-wide diversity.
The Story of Liompan (p. ~38) by Angelina Gootinag retells a traditional tale rooted in Outer Islands storytelling, highlighting morality, kinship, and consequence as transmitted through narrative.
The Stony Fish-Trap (p. 41) by Benaventure Grabthin documents stone fish weirs along Yap’s coasts, enduring features of communal engineering and subsistence practice that link ecological adaptation with social identity.
Navigation (p. 46) by Callistus Legdesog explains traditional Yapese techniques of reading stars, waves, and currents, while also drawing on Outer Islands voyaging examples such as the origin of stone money and extended voyages, highlighting Yap’s role as both a center of and bridge to wider Micronesian seafaring.
Walathol (p. 52) by Sebastian L. Anefál describes a Yapese performance piece of cultural and ritual importance, emphasizing how creativity and spirituality reinforce communal identity.
